1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device and system for providing notifications and alerts received and sent through a programmable cellular telephone or other portable communication device.
2. Related Background Art
Programmable cellular telephones are now a critical part of our daily lives. They are carried with us everywhere we go and we interact with them constantly for phone calls, text messages, emails and other forms of communication. However, users miss calls, texts, calendar appointments, and other notifications because they can't hear it ring. If carried in a purse, brief case or pocket a phone call or message alert from a ringing cell phone is often missed. Even if aware of the incoming call or message interacting with the cell phone to reply or just silence the ringing is often impaired. Driving a car, participating in a meeting, having a face to face conversation or attending a theatrical or other entertainment event create situations where interacting with one's cell phone is difficult.
Missed notifications happen in loud environments, like at the mall, or driving a car. But also in quite environments when the ringer is turned off to avoid interruptions like at work meetings, or church. And often, afterwards calls and incoming messages are missed because the user forgets to turn the cell phone ringer back on after being silenced. Another reason for missing texts is being away from the phone. This happens at home where the user is in one room and the phone is in another.
There are also no known devices that allow the user to send and receive a communication discretely. That is they can send a message and receive a notice of a received message even when amongst others without the others knowing the message has been sent or received.
Notification devices that are wirelessly connected to a cell phone have recently come into the market. These devices are generally capable of vibration or other alert when a phone call or message arrives. However there are no devices currently available that provide for two-way communication such that the user of the device can provide a preselected response to the call or message with a push of a button on the device located remotely from the cell phone and discretely worn by the user. There are no devices that can provide a range of emergency alerts tailored to the situation. There are no devices that provide an alert system through the cell phone that can provide a variety of alerts and actions pre-selected on setup and then discretely activated with a user interface on the device remote from the cell phone. Although there are systems designed to call an emergency number such as 911 there are no known systems that will contact a network of preselected associates when help is needed or other communications are desired. There is a need for device that can provide an alert to a user when a communication is received on their cell phone and that provides a variety of responses that can be pre-programmed in the cell phone and that are initiated through interaction with the device while still remote from the cell phone. There is a need for a device that can initiate an emergency alert protocol on the cell phone while the device is remote from the cell phone. There is a need for a device to send communications and receive notice of communications discretely.